

























































































































































































% 






























/ 










THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 



Books by 

LAURA ROUNTREE 
SMITH 


Bear and Bunny Book, The 
Bunny Boy and Grizzly Bear 
Bunny Bright Eyes 
Bunny Cotton-Tail Junior 
Candy-Shop Cotton-Tails, The 
Children’s Favorite Stories 
Circus Book, The 
Circus Cotton-Tails, The 
Cotton-Tail First Reader, The 
Cotton-Tail Primer, The 
Cotton-Tails in Toyland, The 
Drills and Plays for Patri¬ 
otic Days 
Games and Plays 
Hawk-Eye, An Indian Story 
Reader 

Language Lessons from Every 
Land 

Little Bear 
Little Eskimo 

Merry Little Cotton-Tails, The 
Mother Goose Stories 
Primary Song Book 
Roly-Poly Book, The 
Runaway Bunny, The 
Seventeen Little Bears 
Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes 
Tale of Bunny Cotton-Tail, 
The 

Three Little Cotton-Tails 


Published by 

A. FLANAGAN COMPANY 

CHICAGO 





The 

Roly-Poly Book 


BY 

LAURA ROUNTREE SMITH 



1923 

A. FLANAGAN COMPANY 

CHICAGO 







If you will come and read with me. 
Our Roly-Poly friends you’ll see. 
You’ll often laugh, if you will look 

-Poly Book! 


Inside the Roly 


Copyright, 1910, 1923 
By A. FLANAGAN COMPANY 


Printed in 

©Cl A 7 62988 


j^Yj^Jnit^d States of^wnerica 


















ml 


The Roly-Poly Book 


CHAPTER I 

“What’S that?” asked Mama Roly- 
Poly. 

“What’s that?’’asked Papa Roly- 
Poly. 

“What’s that?” asked Teddie 
and Freddie Roly-Poly. 

Then Humpty Dumpty called 
out, “It’s only I. I am falling down¬ 
stairs again!” 

Thump, thump! bump, bump! 
Humpty Dumpty fell all the way 
down-stairs. 

Mama Roly-Poly went to pick 

3 


4 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 



THUMP, THUMP! BUMP, BUMP! 


him up, and she said, “Some day you 
will get hurt if you are not careful.” 

Then — what do you suppose 
happened? 



















THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


5 


Teddie and Freddie Roly-Poly 
shouted: 

44 Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. 

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. 

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men 

Can not put Humpty Dumpty together again.” 

Then the Roly-Poly family be¬ 
gan to eat their breakfast. 

“Oh, ow!” cried Humpty 
Dumpty. 

“Oh, ow!” cried Teddie and 
Freddie. 

What do you suppose was the 
matter this time? 

All the little Roly-Polys had 
burned their mouths because their 
oat-meal was so hot. 

“Never mind,” said Papa. “You 
must eat your breakfast or you will 
be late for school.” 


6 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Sure enough, the first bell for 
school was ringing that very minute. 

Teddie looked at Freddie and 
Freddie looked at Teddie. 

Any one could have told they 
were twins, they looked so much 
alike. 

Teddie said, “How can I go to 
school with a sore mouth?” 

Freddie said, “My mouth is 
sore, too.” 

Humpty Dumpty said, “I have 
a lame back because I fell down¬ 
stairs.” 

Mama Roly-Poly looked over her 
spectacles and said, “If you are not 
able to go to school, I will put you 
all to bed!” 

Then Teddie dried his eyes on 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


7 ' 


the corner of his napkin, and Freddie 
said, “ I feel much better.” 

Humpty Dumpty said,“I can go 
to school if the twins will draw me 
in the cart.” 

The children got down from their 
seats at the table and began to get 
ready for school. 

“Where is my red cap?” cried 
Teddie. 

“Where is my red cap?” shouted 
Freddie. 

Mama and Papa looked in every 
nook and corner, but they could not 
find the red caps. 

Humpty Dumpty stood looking 
out of the window. Suddenly, he 
began to dance a jig. He danced so 
hard that he spun around like a top. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


“Stop him! stop him!” cried 
Mama Roly-Poly. “Stop him, or he 
will hurt his back.” 

Teddie went and whispered some¬ 
thing in his right ear and Freddie 
whispered something in his left ear, 
and Humpty Dumpty stopped. 

The twins asked, “What made 
you spin around that way?” 

Humpty Dumpty said: 

“ I know something I shan’t tell, 

Three little nuts in a pea-nut shell.” 

“He knows where our caps are,” 
cried the twins. “O Ma, make him 
tell! O Pa, make him tell!” 

Then Humpty Dumpty led the 
twins to the window and pointed to 
the caps lying under the maple 
tree. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


9 


It had rained the night before 
and the caps were wet. 

The twins were in such a hurry 
to get to school that they put on 
their wet caps and ran merrily along, 
and Humpty Dumpty forgot all 
about wishing to ride in a cart and 
ran merrily after them. 

When they reached the school 
all the children set up a shout. 

Teddie’s face was all streaked 
with red, and Freddie’s face was all 
streaked with red. 

The water from their wet caps 
had run down their cheeks. 

The teacher sent them out to the 
pump to wash their faces. 

Then school opened, and Humpty 
Dumpty began to cry. 


10 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


He cried so hard that a little 
stream of tears ran out of each eye. 

The teacher asked, “What is the 
matter, Humpty Dumpty?” 

The little fellow was crying so 
hard that he could not answer. 

Then Freddie raised his hand 
and asked, “Please, may I speak?” 
and Teddie raised his hand and 
asked, “Please, may I speak?” 

The teacher nodded, and the twins 
said, “Perhaps Humpty Dumpty is 
hurt, for he fell down-stairs this 
morning.” 

Then the teacher said that the 
twins might put Humpty Dumpty 
into a wheel-barrow and take him 
home. 

The teacher said, “Say your 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


11 


tables and count numbers all the 
way.” 

The twins put Humpty Dumpty 
into a wheel-barrow, and they put 
their wet caps by his side and started 
homeward. 

Then they began to count: “One, 
two, three, four.” 

“See that squirrel,” cried Teddie. 

“Nine, ten, seven,” said Humpty 
Dumpty. 

“See that robin,” said Freddie. 

“Eight, four, sixteen, twelve,” 
counted Humpty Dumpty. 

The children went on counting 
and talking in the funniest way. 

When they got home they found 
that Papa and Mama had gone 
away. 


12 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 



THE TWINS SANG HIM A NONSENSE SONG 


Humpty Dumpty began to cry. 
“I want my ma,’’ he said. 

Teddie said, “Don’t cry and we 
will sing you a song.” 

Freddie said, “Indeed we will.” 












THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 13 

Mama had left a note on the 
table, and the note said: 

I have left your dinner in the pantry. If we 
do not come home to-night Grandpa Grimes will 
stay with you. 

Humpty Dumpty lay down on 
the sofa and the twins sang him a 
nonsense song, in hopes that he 
would soon be better. 

They sang: 

“ Oh, beets and carrots are good to eat, 

And pears and apples are nice and sweet; 

But Mrs. Potato of all is most wise, 

For she has such a number of eyes! ” 

Then they drew a picture of Mrs. 
Potato and soon Humpty Dumpty 
fell asleep. 

Then the twins went to the win¬ 
dow to see whether or not Grandpa 
Grimes was coming. 



If Humpty Dumpty now should fall 
From other places than the wall, 

He might get a crack or two, 

And that would never, never do. 




















CHAPTER II 


Grandpa Grimes was nowhere to be 
seen, so the twins went out-doors to 
play. They had so much fun turn¬ 
ing somersaults on the lawn that 
they forgot all about dinner, and 
they forgot all about Humpty 
Dumpty. 

Very likely they would have for¬ 
gotten all about supper, too, if they 
had not happened to look down the 
road. 

“Hurrah!” cried Freddie. “There 
is Grandpa Grimes.” 

“Hurrah!” cried Teddie. “But 
why doesn’t he come in! He is go¬ 
ing past the gate!” 

15 


16 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


The twins ran down the road to 
catch Grandpa Grimes. 

Grandpa Grimes was a jolly old 
fellow. He carried a suit-case and 
a big umbrella. 

He never went anywhere without 
his umbrella. 

He said, “Who can tell whether 
it will rain or shine?” 

One of the twins grabbed his 
suit-case and the other twin grabbed 
his umbrella. 

Grandpa asked, “Where is 
Humpty Dumpty?” 

“Oh, oh!” cried Teddie and 
Freddie,“we had forgotten all about 
him, and we had forgotten all about 
our dinner, too!” 

Grandpa Grimes began to whistle 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


17 



GRANDPA GRIMES 


a merry tune and they all went into 
the house. 

Humpty Dumpty did not wake 
up when they came in. 

Grandpa Grimes looked at him 







18 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


and said, “Strange! Extraordinary! 
Most extraordinary! ” 

Then he took a good look at 
Humpty Dumpty and cried, “Get 
the bottle of glue! Get it quickly!” 

What do you suppose Grandpa 
Grimes saw? He saw that Humpty 
Dumpty had a crack in his back! 

Grandpa put the glue on the 
poor little fellow’s back. Then 
Humpty Dumpty woke up and said, 
“I want Ma, boo-hoo!” 

Grandpa Grimes said, “If you 
will be still I will tell you a story.” 

“A story! a story!” cried the 
twins together. “ Do tell us a story! ” 
Grandpa Grimes said: 


“ How can I talk with nothing to eat? 

Cold bread and butter would be quite a treat! M 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


19 


The twins took the hint and ran 
about getting supper ready. 

They set the table and warmed 
up the dinner that Mama Roly-Poly 
had left them. 

Humpty Dumpty cried, “I want 
supper, too.” 

So Grandpa rolled the sofa into 
the dining-room and for fun they 
all sat on the sofa and ate their 
supper. 

‘‘Howabout the red caps?’’asked 
Grandpa Grimes. 

He had given the caps to the 
twins on their last birthday. 

Then Freddie hung his head 
and said, “We were careless,” and 
Teddie said, “We let them get wet. 
Grandpa.” 


20 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Then Grandpa Grimes chuckled 
and asked, “What mischief have you 
been up to, Humpty Dumpty?” 

Humpty Dumpty said, “Oh, I 
only fell down-stairs.” 

Then the twins said,“Where can 
Pa and Ma have gone?” 

Grandpa pretended he did not 
hear. He only said, “This is very 
good tea for cold tea.” 

Freddie said, “I wonder if Ma 
went up town.” 

Teddie said, “I wonder if Pa 
went to the farm ” 

“Speak a little louder,” said 
Grandpa Grimes. “How can you 
expect an old man to hear?” 

Then he winked one eye at 
Humpty Dumpty and he winked 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


21 


the other eye at the cat, for he could 
hear as well as any of them. 

Humpty Dumpty said, “Tell us 
a story, please, Grandpa.” 

“Who will wash dishes?” asked 
Grandpa. 

“I will,” said all the children 
at once. 

“Look out, Humpty Dumpty, or 
you will fall off the sofa,” said 
Grandpa Grimes. 

The twins washed and wiped the 
dishes and then they shouted, “Now 
for the story! Tell us the story!” 

“Who fed the cat?” asked 
Grandpa Grimes. 

Then Freddie got a saucer, and 
Teddie poured milk into it, and the 
old cat purred and drank her milk. 


22 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


The twins got two little stools 
and sat down at Grandpa’s feet. 

“Did you lock the back door?” 
asked Grandpa with a twinkle in 
his eye. “We don’t wish to have 
any tramps coming in here.” 

So Teddie went and locked the 
door and they thought that now' 
Grandpa would surely begin. 

Then Grandpa said: 

“ How can I tell the story right, 

Without a ray of candle-light?” 

Freddie lighted the lamp, and 
then Grandpa said: 

“Now then! you are such dear, 
good children that I will tell you 
the story of Amaryllis.” 

This is the fairy tale that Grand¬ 
pa told: 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


23 


AMARYLLIS 

Amaryllis sat by the fire, playing 
his fiddle. 

He was alone in the house. 

His brothers had gone to the ball. 

Amaryllis was thinking of the 
story of Cinderella. 

“I am like Cinderella, only I am 
a boy,” he said. “I sit among the 
ashes and cinders.” 

“By and by,” he said, “I will pre¬ 
tend I am at the ball.” 

So he took up his fiddle again 
and played a merry tune. 

A little mouse that lived in the 
house came out and began to dance 
as he played. 

Amaryllis laughed when the little 
mouse danced. 


24 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


He forgot that he had wished to 
go to the ball. 

Amaryllis had two brothers. 
They were proud and cruel. They 
had said, “Amaryllis is so little that 
we will give him a girl’s name. We 
will make him black our boots and 
tend the fires and wait on us.” 

While Amaryllis sat playing the 
fiddle a fairy came in. 

“Heigho! that was a merry tune,” 
said the fairy. “ Come, let us dance.” 

So Amaryllis laid down his fid¬ 
dle, and he and the fairy joined 
hands and danced right into the 
ball-room where the brothers were, 
and all the fine lords and ladies. 

Amaryllis was afraid at first. 
He thought of his shabby clothes. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


25 


He looked down and saw that he 
had on a fine velvet suit with gold 
buttons. 

The fairy still danced with him. 

Round and round and round 
they went. 

“Mind that you don’t play the 
fiddle here .until the third night,” the 
fairy said, and then she disappeared. 

All the fine ladies bowed to 
Amaryllis and all the lords stared 
at him. 

The lovely princess danced with 
Amaryllis and he was very happy 
indeed. 

They had danced all this time 
without music. 

Suddenly the king rose from his 
throne and said: 


26 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


4i He who takes the fiddle, 

And plays a jolly air, 

Shall have half my kingdom, 

And the princess fair! ” 

Then every one of the lords 
wished to play the fiddle, you may 
be sure, and Amaryllis could hardly 
keep his hands still. 

The proud brothers tried to play, 
but they could not make a sound. 

Many of the lords tried to play, 
but the fiddle would only squeak 
for them. Sometimes it would fly 
right out of their hands. 

All this time Amaryllis was long¬ 
ing to play the fiddle, and his arm 
went to and fro as though he had 
hold of the bow. 

Some one noticed him and cried, 
“See! we have the fiddler here.’’ 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


27 


Amaryllis remembered the words 
of the fairy just in time, and so he 
would not play the fiddle. He went 
out of the room and ran home as 
fast as his legs could carry him. 

When the brothers got home 
they told great tales about the 
ball. 

They told Amaryllis about the 
handsome young prince who would 
not play the fiddle. 

The next night the king gave 
another ball and both the brothers 
were invited. 

“Black my boots,” said one. 

“Brush my coat,” said the other. 

Amaryllis waited on them as 
usual. 

When, at last, the brothers were 


28 


THE'ROLY-POLY BOOK 


gone, Amaryllis sat down by the fire 
and began to play as before. 

In came the fairy. 

“Let us dance,” she said. 

Amaryllis and the fairy danced 
round and round as before, and 
danced again into the ball-room. 

“Don’t touch the king’s fiddle 
until the third night,” whispered the 
fairy, and she was gone. 

Everybody had a fine time at the 
ball that night, and after a while 
the king rose as before and said: 

“ He who takes the fiddle 
And plays a jolly air, 

Shall have half my kingdom 
And the princess fair.” 

Amaryllis could stand it no 
longer. He forgot that he was at a 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


29 


great ball. He forgot the lords and 
ladies. He forgot the fairy’s words, 
and reached out his hand for the 
fiddle. 

He began to play, but the tune 
he played was not a merry one. He 
looked down and saw that he had 
on his old, shabby clothes. 

All the lords and ladies cried, 
“Put him out! Put him out! He 
is a street musician.” 

Amaryllis ran out of the ball¬ 
room and went sadly home. 

The two brothers did not know 
what had happened. They had 
eaten so much that they had fallen 
asleep at the ball. 

The third night the king gave 
another ball. 


30 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


The two brothers were invited. 
They had lost so much sleep that 
they were very cross while they were 
getting ready. 

They made Amaryllis wait on 
them, and they whipped him soundly 
because he moved slowly. 

Poor Amaryllis was sleepy, too. 

At last Amaryllis sat in the chim¬ 
ney corner as before. 

He said, “It is too late for the 
fairy to come to-night.” 

He began to play a sad tune. 

Then the fairy peeped in at the 
window and asked, “Will you be 
good this time and remember what I 
tell you about playing the fiddle?” 

Amaryllis nodded and the fairy 
came in. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


31 


They danced into the ball-room 
at exactly quarter of twelve. 

“Now,” whispered the fairy, 
“whatever happens, when the clock 
strikes twelve, you must play the 
fiddle.” 

Then the fairy opened her bag 
and a little mouse jumped from it 
and ran behind a chair. 

The king rose from his throne 
and began to talk, and just then the 
little mouse ran across the floor, and 
the lovely princess fell in a faint. 

All the noblemen wished to help 
the princess, and all the ladies wished 
to fan her. 

Amaryllis wished to go to the 
princess, too, but just at that minute 
the clock struck twelve. 


32 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


He remembered the fairy’s words 
and reached out for the king’s fiddle 
and began to play a very merry 
tune. 

He played such a merry tune 
that the princess revived. Every¬ 
body began to waltz, and the prin¬ 
cess danced so hard that she danced 
right into Amaryllis’s arms! 

The little mouse was frightened 
and ran away. 

Then the whole company made 
merry. The king gave Amaryllis 
half his kingdom. Amaryllis mar¬ 
ried the princess, and they lived 
happily ever after. 

“Tell it again,” said Freddie. 

“Tell it again,” said Teddie. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


33 


Humpty Dumpty rolled over to 
the edge of the sofa. He nearly roll¬ 
ed off the sofa. 

Grandpa Grimes said, “Humpty 
Dumpty, I believe you roll off some¬ 
thing every day!” 

Humpty Dumpty said, “That 
was a fine story.” 

Grandpa said, “I will tell it to you 
again some day.” 

Freddie said,“I should like to act 
out the story.” 

Teddie said,“I should like to act 
it out, too.” 

Then Grandpa Grimes laughed. 

He pulled out his watch and said, 
“Bed-time for honest folks.” 

Then all the children went mer¬ 
rily to bed. 



The Roly-Polys can not spell. 

They do not know their lessons well, 
They sit on stools and wear dunce- 
caps, too. 

As any child might have to do. 







CHAPTER III 


Next morning who do you suppose 
was the first one to wake up ? 

Humpty Dumpty woke up and 
rolled out of bed. 

“Bump!” he fell to the floor and 
rolled over and over. Humpty Dump¬ 
ty was so fat he was always rolling 
about. 

“Help! help!” called the twins. 
“ Humpty Dumpty has fallen out of 
bed.” 

“Hush!” said Humpty Dumpty, 
“don’t waken Grandpa. I did not 
hurt myself at all this time.” 

Then the twins looked at the 
great clock in the hall. Its hands 

35 


36 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


pointed at quarter of six, so they all 
went back to bed. 

“I am not a bit sleepy,” said 
Freddie. 

“Neither am I,” said Teddie. 

Humpty Dumpty said, “Let us 
tell one another fairy stories.” 

Freddie began, “Once there was 
a princess. She had golden hair.” 

“No, she had red hair,” said 
Humpty Dumpty. 

“No, no,” said the twins, “we wish 
her to have golden hair.” 

Then Humpty Dumpty said, 
“ Red hair, red hair,” and he laughed 
so hard that he fell out of bed 
again. 

The funny little Roly-Polys could 
not go on with the story because 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


37 


they could not agree about the color 
of the princess’s hair. 

They all got up and tip-toed 
down-stairs. 

They did not wish to waken 
Grandpa. 

The twins started to get break¬ 
fast, and such a time as they had! 
First the fire would not burn, then 
the water would not boil. 

They burned their fingers and 
they burned the toast. 

Grandpa Grimes came down at 
last, and they all sat down to break¬ 
fast. 

Grandpa Grimes said, “The cof¬ 
fee is so good I will give you all new 
red caps and you may go with me to 
the store to buy them.” 


38 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


“Hurrah!” shouted the twins to¬ 
gether. 

Humpty Dumpty said, “I want a 
blue cap. I haven’t any twin.” 

Then they all laughed until they 
cried. 

“I wonder where Ma and Pa have 
gone,” said the twins. 

“How many of you will be late 
for school?” asked Grandpa Grimes. 

Then they all ate their breakfast 
and started on a run for school. 

Grandpa Grimes stood in the 
doorway and waved a red pocket- 
handkerchief at them as they ran 
along. 

Humpty Dumpty began to cry 
as soon as school opened. He cried 
and he screamed and he howled. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


39 


The teacher said, “Humpty 
Dumpty, I can not send you home 
every day!” 

Humpty Dumpty would not tell 
what was the matter and he only 
cried, “I want my grandpa, boo-hoo!” 

At last the teacher said that 
Humpty Dumpty must go home, 
but that he must go alone this time. 

Then Humpty Dumpty made a 
bow and went home. 

It was time for the classes to 
stand up and spell. Teddie and 
Freddie stood up with the rest. 

“Spell ‘Africa,’” said the teacher. 

Teddie missed and went to the 
foot of the class. Then Freddie 
missed and went to the foot of the 
class. 


40 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


So, alas! it went on all day long. 
Teddie and Freddie could not spell 
and they could neither read nor 
write. 

What do you suppose was the 
matter? 

Freddie was wondering where his 
mama was and Teddie was wonder¬ 
ing where his papa was, and so they 
could not study. 

At the close of school those two 
funny little twins had to sit on stools 
and wear dunce-caps. 

At five o’clock they went home. 
They walked slowly. They were 
thinking about the dunce-caps. 

When they got home they wore 
such long faces that Grandpa Grimes 
said, “Come right into the parlor!” 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


41 


There sat Humpty Dumpty on 
the floor. The twins sat down be¬ 
side him, and Grandpa said, “A 
penny for your thoughts,” and he 
held up three bright new pennies. 

Each of the Roly-Polys told what 
he was thinking about and Grandpa 
gave each of them a penny. 

Then they began to beg for a 
story. 

“Dear Grandpa,” they said, “tell 
a story. Please, Grandpa, just one 
story.” 

Humpty Dumpty said, “Tell a 
bran-new story, please.” 

Grandpa Grimes dearly loved to 
tell stories, so he said, “I will tell 
you about the Tree Fairies.” 

When he finished the story, the 


42 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


little Roly-Polys were fast asleep, so 
Grandpa laughed and said to hi to 
self, “I can tell that same story 
again, some day!” 

This is the story Grandpa Grimes 
told: 

THE TREE FAIRIES 

The Pied Piper played a tune, and 
the children of Hamelin followed 
him. 

They followed him until he came 
to a mountain. 

A door in the side of the moun¬ 
tain opened, and the piper and the 
children went inside. 

“Hurry, hurry, hurry!” said the 
piper. “We must get inside the 
mountain before the door closes.” 

The children all followed him. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


43 


The door in the mountain-side 
closed, and no one ever saw them 
again. 

The children now looked about 
them. 

They stood in the most wonder¬ 
ful green room. It looked like 
Fairy Land. 

The chairs and tables were made 
of green moss, and green hammocks 
were swinging everywhere. 

The children ran about, making 
a great noise. 

Then the funniest dwarf ap¬ 
peared. He had a beard that reached 
clear down to the floor. 

He stamped his foot, and shouted 
to the Pied Piper, “What mischief 
have you been in now?” 


44 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


The Pied Piper said, “I freed the 
town of Hamelin of rats, and the 
mayor promised to pay me a thous¬ 
and guilders. He would not pay 
the money, when the time came, so I 
took his children, and all the other 
children of the village.” 

The dwarf stamped his foot again, 
and shouted, “What do you intend 
to do with all these children?” 

The Pied Piper did not answer. 
He only played a merry tune. 

“They shall not stay here!” 
shouted the dwarf. Then he went 
into the next room, where his broth¬ 
ers were at work. 

The dwarfs in this room were 
starting young plants, and they 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


45 


tended the roots of trees to make 
them grow. 

The dwarf stamped his foot and 
shouted to his brothers: 

“The Pied Piper has brought in 
a whole villageful of children. I 
will not keep them all. I can never 
feed so many!” 

One funny dwarf answered him. 
He was a queer fellow, as broad as 
he was long. 

This dwarf laid his finger on the 
side of his nose and asked: 

“Why not change the children 
into fairies and let them live in the 
trunks of the trees?” 

“The very thing!” shouted the 
first dwarf. 

So he opened a little door at the 


46 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


root of a maple tree, and called one 
of the children to him. 

Then the other dwarfs said a 
magic verse, and whisk! the child 
was changed into a fairy and went 
up into the trunk of the tree! 

So the dwarfs kept on, until all 
the children were changed into fair¬ 
ies and went to live in the trunks of 
trees. 

Soon after this the Pied Piper 
and the dwarfs went away across the 
sea. 

They rode on the Magic Carpet, 
and they forgot all about the child¬ 
ren they had changed into fairies 
and shut up in the trees. 

One day Prince Charming went 
into the woods. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


47 


He was looking for the Beautiful 
Princess. 

He was tired, for he had walked 
a long way through the woods. He 
lay down under the tree, to rest. 

He was almost asleep when a 
maple seed fell on his head, and he 
said: 

“The seed makes me think of the 
hair of the Beautiful Princess.” 

Then he heard a gentle tapping. 

The tapping seemed to come 
from the tree under which he lay. 
He got up and called in a loud voice: 

“Princess, princess, come to me, 

If princess, now, you really be! ’’ 

Then, he heard a gentle sigh, but 
he thought it was the wind stirring 
t he new green leaves. 


48 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Then the prince fell asleep, and 
dreamed a dream. 

He dreamed that a door opened 
in the tree under which he lay and 
out walked the beautiful princess. 

He thought that the princess said, 
“All the fairies are shut up in trees. 
You must let them out. Then I can 
come to you.” 

The prince awoke. He rubbed 
his sleepy eyes and ran to a tree 
near by, and said: 

“Pretty Fairy Thistle-Down, 

Spread your airy wings, 

Open, now, your secret door, 

While Prince Charming sings. M 

Click! click! click! A little door 
opened in the tree, and out came 
Fairy Thistle-Down. She floated 
away on the wings of the breeze. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


49 


Then Prince Charming went to 
another tree and said: 

44 Pretty Fairy Silver-Sheen, 

In your dainty dress of green, 

Open wide your door to me, 

I have come to set you free.” 

Click! click! click! The door 
opened and out came Fairy Silver- 
Sheen. 

The prince went to another tree 
and said: 

4 4 Good-Luck Fairy, light and airy, 

Open your tree-door wide, 

This is such a pleasant world, 

You must not stay inside.” 

Click! click! click! Open came 
the door, and out came the Good- 
Luck Fairy. She bowed, and smiled 
at the prince. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


50 

So the prince went on, all day, 
calling the fairies to come out of the 
trees. 

When evening came he stood be¬ 
side an old oak tree, but he called 
in vain, for the Oak-Tree Fairy 
would not come out. 

Then he went back to the tree 
in which the Beautiful Princess was, 
and he said, “Can you come out 
now ? ” 

The Beautiful Princess said, “I 
can not come until you let out the 
Oak-Tree Fairy!” 

The next day it rained, and the 
next, and the next. 

It is very sober business walking 
in the woods in wet weather. 

The poor prince got the feathers 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


51 


in his cap all wet, but he must make 
the Oak-Tree Fairy come out. 

He pleaded and pleaded with her 
to leave her tree. 

At last the Oak-Tree Fairy sang 
this little song: 

“ O prince, I promise to leave my tree 
When yellow slippers you bring to me.” 

The prince was delighted. He 
went into town, and bought the pret¬ 
tiest yellow satin slippers he could 
find. He took them to the fairy in 
the oak tree, but she only repeated 
the same verse. 

The prince then puzzled his brains 
to find out what kind of slippers the 
fairy wished. 

He was almost in despair, when, 
one day, he was walking through the 


53 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


woods and saw a queer little yellow 
flower growing. 

He went nearer the flower. Then 
he clapped his hands and shouted 
for joy, because the flower was in the 
shape of a yellow slipper. 

He searched a long time until he 
found another flower just like it. 
Then he ran as fast as his feet would 
carry him, and came to the oak tree 
and said: 

“Now I am happy. Without any doubt, 

Kind Oak-Tree Fairy, you will come out.” 

Click! click! click! went the door 
in the tree and the Oak-Tree Fairy 
came out. 

She put on the slippers and went 
tripping away through the woods. 

Then the prince went back to the 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


53 


tree in which the Beautiful Princess 
lived. He tapped on the tree and 
called out: 

“Beautiful Princess, come to me, 

Open now the door in your tree.” 

Click! click! click! Open came 
the door in the tree and out came 
the Beautiful Princess. 

She had eyes like violets and hair 
like silky corn tassels, and she said: 

“Prince Charming has set the fairies free, 

And all will our willing servants be.” 

The prince and the princess were 
married. All the fairies came to 
the wedding, and the Good-Luck 
Fairy was the jolliest one of all. 

The Oak-Tree Fairy said, “You 
see, I had to have yellow slippers to 
wear to the wedding!” 


54 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


The prince ordered the Flower- 
Fairy to plant some more seeds of 
the wonderful flower that bore the 
yellow slippers, so that the Oak-Tree 
Fairy might have a new pair of 
slippers every year. 

If you search in the deep woods 
you may see the slippers growing 
there. They are called Lady Slip¬ 
pers now. 

The prince and the princess lived 
happily ever after, and the fairies 
went all over the world. 

After Grandpa had finished the 
story Freddie woke up. 

He rolled over against Teddie. 

Then Teddie woke up, of course, 
and they began to talk. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


55 


Then Humpty Dumpty woke up. 

“When did you fall asleep?” 
asked Grandpa. 

The Roly-Polys all began to talk 
at once. 

Grandpa Grimes shook his head. 
“One at a time, please,” he said. 

Then Freddie and Teddie and 
Humpty Dumpty all held up their 
hands. 

Grandpa Grimes nodded to Ted¬ 
die, who said: 

“I fell asleep when you were tell¬ 
ing about a dwarf.” 

Then Freddie said, “I fell asledp 
when you were telling about the 
Oak-Tree Fairy.” 

Humpty Dumpty did not say a 
thing. 


56 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 



Grandpa Grimes is old and gray. 
But he still delights in play. 

He will entertain you all. 

So gather round him, large and small. 






CHAPTER IV 


Next morning Grandpa Grimes 
was the first to wake. 

He called out, “Great news! 
glorious news! Your ma and your 
pa are coming home to-day!” 

Then Humpty Dumpty rolled 
out of bed, but he declared it did 
not hurt him a bit. 

The twins dressed so fast that 
they forgot to brush their hair and 
had to run back up-stairs to do it. 

Grandpa said, “After breakfast 
we will go to town and meet your 
ma and your pa.” 

The Roly-Polys finished break¬ 
fast. Then they washed the dishes 


58 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


and fed the cat and made the house 
look as neat as a pin. 

Grandpa said, “It is so warm that 
you do not need your caps, and I 
am going to buy you new ones, 
anyway.” 

So they went down the road 
together. 

They passed some children going 
to a picnic, and Humpty Dumpty 
set up a cry and a scream and a howl. 

“What’s the matter?” asked 
Grandpa. 

“What’s the matter?” asked the 
twins. 

“Do you wish to go to the 
picnic?” asked Freddie. 

“Did you lose your penny?” 
asked Teddie. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


59 


But Humpty Dumpty shook his 
head and cried. 

Then Grandpa stooped down and 
said, “Whisper in my ear what the 
trouble is. We haven’t time to cry 
all morning.” 

Then Humpty Dumpty whis¬ 
pered something to Grandpa, and 
Grandpa picked him up and carried 
him all the rest of the way to the 
store. 

When they reached the store, 
what a time they had! 

Teddie and Freddie tried on all 
the caps the man had, and Humpty 
Dumpty got so hungry that they 
had to buy him a box of crackers! 

At last Teddie and Freddie 
chose stocking caps just alike, and 


60 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Humpty Dumpty chose a sun- 
bonnet, and they were all as happy 
as children could be. 

Then Grandpa pulled out his 
watch and said: 

“We shall have to hurry. It is 
twenty minutes of train time, and 
you still have your pennies to 
spend.” 

Then the little Roly-Polys 
danced about the . shop and they 
asked the price of this article and 
that article, and the clerk was so 
pleased to see that they all had 
money to spend that he got out 
three big bags of peanuts and placed 
them in a row on the counter. 

Then Freddie said, “I want pea¬ 
nuts,” and Teddie said, “I want pea- 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


61 


nuts,” and Humpty Dumpty said, 
“Oh, oh, oh! peanuts!” 

The clerk handed each one a bag 
of peanuts and asked, “Can I do 
anything else for you young gentle¬ 
men to-day?” 

Humpty Dumpty piped up in 
his funny little voice and said, “I 
think Grandpa needs a new 
suit-case.” 

Grandpa was so surprised that 
he laughed until he cried, and—will 
you believe it?—before he left the 
store he had bought a bran-new 
suit-case! 

The clerk gave each of the Roly- 
Polys a gum-drop and they said 
they had never had so much fun in 
all their lives. 


63 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Then Grandpa pulled out his 
watch again and said, ‘‘Train time. 
Hurry, hurry, hurry!” and they all 
went to the station. 

Sure enough, when they got there 
the train was coming in. 

There were Mama and Papa 
Roly-Poly, round and smiling, and 
there were lots of people besides. 

The Roly-Polys all hugged and 
kissed one another at a great rate, 
you may be sure. Then they all 
went home. 

It was not until evening that Fred- 
die thought to ask, “Where have 
you been, Ma?” 

Then Teddie asked, “Where 
have you been. Pa?” 

Then Mama said, “Run off to 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


63 


bed. We will tell you about our 
travels to-morrow.” 

Freddie woke up in the night. 
He called to Teddie and said: 

“I forgot to ask what Humpty 
Dumpty was crying about on the 
way to town! ” 

Then Humpty Dumpty woke up 
and said, ‘‘I cried because a girl said 
I looked just like an egg!” 

“The very idea!” said Freddie. 

“The very idea!” said Teddie. 

Then they all rolled over and 
went to sleep. 

Humpty Dumpty had a wonder¬ 
ful dream about a little lame prince. 
He remembered the dream next 
morning and told it to the family at 
breakfast. 


64 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Grandpa Grimes said, “You are 
going to be as good a story-teller as 
I am, some day!” 

This is the story that Humpty 
Dumpty told: 

THE LITTLE LAME PRINCE 

Once there were a king and a 
queen who had three daughters. 

The elder daughters were very 
beautiful, but they were as proud as 
could be. 

The youngest daughter was ugly, 
but she was good and gentle. 

One day the king and the queen 
went away for a long visit. They 
left the three daughters at home. 

The eldest daughter said, “I wish 
to be married, so I will have a sign 
made. On the sign I will have 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


65 


printed: ‘Look Here for the Beauti¬ 
ful Princess.’” 

The gardener was ordered to 
make the sign and hang it on the 
golden gate. 

A great many princes came to 
the palace now, but none of them 
were rich or handsome enough to 
suit the proud sisters. 

Late one evening a little lame 
prince came up the walk. The sisters 
sat by the window, watching. When 
they saw that he was lame, they 
cried: 

“Do not let him in. We will have 
nothing to do with a lame prince.” 

Now the lame prince was very, 
very tired, for he had had a long 
journey. He felt that he could go 


66 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


no farther. So when he was not 
admitted at the front door he went 
to the kitchen, thinking the cook 
might let him in. 

It was the cook’s night out, and 
the ugly sister was working in the 
kitchen. 

“Honey, will you let me in?” 
asked the lame prince. 

The ugly sister was so surprised 
to be called “Honey,” that she let 
fall a platter which she had in her 
hand. The platter broke into a 
hundred pieces! 

The prince came in and the ugly 
sister, whose real name was Mary- 
gold, said: 

“What shall I do! What shall I 
do! I have broken the best platter!” 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


67 


Just then a pixie came dancing 
into the kitchen. He was a fat little 
fairy. 

“ What will you give me if I mend 
the platter?” he asked. 

“Oh, oh!” cried Marygold, 
“please mend the platter!” 

“What will you give me?” asked 
the pixie again. 

“I will give you my wedding-ring 
some day,” said Marygold. 

Then the pixie took a feather- 
duster from his pocket. He dusted 
the broken bits of china and—click, 
click, click!—they went together, and 
the platter was whole again. There 
was not even a crack to be seen! 

The lame prince had been sitting 
on a bench by the fire. Now he got 


68 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


up and began to walk about, for he 
was very stiff from his journey. 

The pixie cried out, “What will 
you give me if I mend your lame 
leg? Say, what will you give me if 
I mend your lame leg?” 

The prince was so surprised that 
he did not know what to do, but he 
said, “I will give you a marble 
statue.” 

“May I choose the statue out of 
your palace?” asked the pixie. 

The prince nodded his head, and 
the pixie began to dance about him. 
He waved his feather-duster to and 
fro about the prince’s lame leg, and 
soon—will you believe it?—the leg 
was no longer lame! 

Then the prince asked Mary gold 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


69 


to marry him, and they went down 
the garden walk, laughing and sing¬ 
ing in the moonlight. 

When the sisters heard that 
Marygold had really gone, and that 
the prince had a fine castle, they 
were very jealous, you may be sure. 

They said, “We should like to 
live in the castle. We must drive 
Marygold away.” 

Just then the pixie came into 
the room. “Your hearts are ugly 
and cracked,” he said. “Shall I 
mend them?” 

The proud sisters said,“Go away, 
you horrid little fairy! We have 
no need of your help.” 

So the pixie went away. He went 
away to see Marygold. 


70 


THE ROLY-POLY ROOK 


The prince had gone on a long 
journey. 

The pixie said to Marygold, 
“Do not venture outside the castle 
grounds until the prince comes back 
from his journey.” 

It rained for three days, and Prin¬ 
cess Marygold was very lonely. 

One evening there was a loud rap 
at the door and Marygold went to 
answer it herself. 

She thought the prince might 
have come back. 

One of the proud sisters was at 
the door dressed as a doctor. 

She said, “Come quickly in my 
automobile, for the prince lies ill in 
a distant city.” 

The other sister was hiding near 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


71 


by and when Marygold stepped into 
the automobile, the proud sisters 
gave it a push and it ran away with 
Marygold in it. It ran over a steep 
cliff, and Marygold fell out. Down, 
down, down, she went. 

The sisters thought they had 
seen the last of her. They hurried 
away as fast as they could. 

But Marygold was not hurt at all, 
for the Sun-bonnet Fairies were 
waiting at the bottom of the cliff 
with a soft blanket. They caught 
her in the blanket as she fell. 

The Sun-bonnet Fairies danced 
about Marygold. 

They cried, “Oh, ho! so we have 
caught you!” 

The Sun-bonnet Fairies are funny 


72 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


little creatures. They wear their 
bonnets night and day. 

Mary gold begged them to let her 
go, but the fairies said, “No, no!” 
and held her fast. 

Now when the prince returned to 
his palace, he was sad not to find 
Marygold. He searched for her 
high and low. 

One of the proud sisters went to 
his palace. She hoped he would 
marry her, but he was too sad to 
notice her at all. The proud sister 
was angry and went away. 

One evening Marygold sat up 
late. The Sun-bonnet Fairies had 
gone to bed. 

Marygold was braiding her hair 
and singing: 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


73 


“Oh, I am sad as sad can be, 

Pixie, fairy, come to me,” 

There was a rustle in the tree- 
branches overhead and a shrill voice 
called, “Who said ‘pixie’?” 

There sat the pixie, up in the 
tree. 

“ I told you not to go outside the 
castle grounds,” said the pixie. 
“What will you give me if I take you 
home?” 

“I will give you my pearl neck¬ 
lace,” said Marygold. 

“I don’t wish your pearl neck¬ 
lace,” said the pixie. 

“ I will give you my breast-pin,” 
said Marygold. 

“I don’t wish your breast-pin,” 
said the pixie. 


74 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


“Well, what can I give you?” 
asked Mary gold. 

“I wish your wedding-ring,” said 
the pixie. “You promised to give it 
to me some day.” 

“Oh, oh, oh! please do not ask for 
my ring!” said Marygold. 

“I will never take you home 
unless you give it to me,” said the 
pixie. 

Then, at last, Marygold gave 
him the ring and he took her 
home. 

Now, the prince had given orders 
that no more ladies be admitted to 
the castle. He did not wish to see 
the proud sisters again. 

The pixie left Marygold outside 
the south gate of the castle and she 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


75 


cried, “Let me in. I am Princess 
Mary gold.” 

The guard said, “Show me your 
wedding-ring!” 

Then Marygold went to the east 
gate, and the west gate, and the 
north gate, and begged to be let in. 
But each time the guard said, “Show 
me your wedding-ring.” 

Next day as the prince was roam¬ 
ing in the garden Marygold cried, 
“Let me in, please.” The prince 
looked over the wall. He could not 
believe it was Marygold who stood 
outside, for she wore a dress the 
fairies had given her, and a big blue 
sun-bonnet. 

“Throw your wedding-ring over 
the wall and I will let you in,” hesaid. 


76 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Then Marygold sat down and 
cried. 

Presently one of the proud sisters 
came along. She was dressed like a 
peddler, and she said: 

“My poor lady, eat this peach 
and you will feel happy again.” 

Marygold ate the peach. She 
began to grow stiff and cold. She 
grew colder and colder, until she 
turned into a statue. Then the proud 
sister went away. 

Next day the prince saw the 
statue and ordered that it be brought 
into the garden. 

“It is a statue of my lost prin¬ 
cess,” he cried. 

The prince grew fond of the 
statue. He went to see it morning 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


77 


and evening. He placed an ever¬ 
green wreath about its neck. 

One day the pixie came. 

He said to the prince, “I have 
come for my statue.” 

The prince led the pixie about 
the palace and showed him many 
statues. 

“There is a more beautiful one 
in the garden,” said the pixie. “I 
will take the one in the garden.” 

“No, no, I can not spare it!” cried 
the prince. 

The pixie said, “It is the only 
statue I will have.” 

At last the prince gave in and 
the pixie went away with the statue. 

The prince was sad indeed. He 
sat alone at twilight and sang: 


78 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


“ O princess dear, O princess dear, 

I am sad in the fall of the year. 

I should be happy, it is plain, 

If you would come back to me again/’ 

The prince’s heart gave a crack. 
It almost broke in two. 

An autumn leaf floated in 
through the window. On it was 
written: 

“The princess dear will come again. 

She is not afraid of cold or rain.” 

The prince was cheered a little, 
and he went to bed. 

The pixie now had the ring and 
the statue. 

The soft wind blew on the statue 
and the rain fell, and the statue 
began to grow warmer and warmer, 
and at last Marygold came back 
to life. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


79 


“I had a funny dream,” she said. 
“ I thought I was a statue in the gar¬ 
den at home.” 

Then the pixie said, ‘‘What will 
you give me for this ring ? ” 

Then Marygold laughed and 
clapped her hands, and every time 
she laughed a new flower bloomed 
in the pixie’s garden. 

“There, that is enough,” said the 
pixie, and he gave Marygold back 
the ring. 

She sailed away on a cloud, and 
was soon with the prince again. 

All would have gone well if his 
heart had not been cracked. The 
proud sisters were visiting at the 
castle and the prince seemed to like 
them as well as he liked Marygold. 


80 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


It was all on account of the cracked 
heart. 

At last Marygold could stand it 
no longer. 

She sent for the pixie and asked, 
* What can be the matter with the 
Prince?” 

The pixie said, ‘‘Oh, ho! He 
has cracked his heart.” 

Then the pixie took out his 
feather-duster and began to mend 
the prince’s heart. 

The proud sisters said, ‘‘Please 
mend our hearts, too,” and the pixie 
did so. Then they went away and 
the prince and Marygold were very 
happy again. 

The pixie started away, waving 
his feather-duster. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


81 


Marygold said, “Come to see us 
often.” 

The pixie whirled his feather- 
duster. Out fell ten shining gold- 
pieces! 

The prince said, “You will always 
be welcome at the palace.” 

The pixie whirled his feather- 
duster again. Out fell ten more 
shining gold-pieces! 

“That is my wedding present to 
you,” said the pixie, and he was 
gone. 


CHAPTER V 


Early next morning Grandpa 
Grimes went home. 

He went home before the children 
had come down to breakfast. 

Mama Roly-Poly called out, 
“Do think about it. Go with us. 
Grandpa.” 

Papa Roly-Poly said, “Please go 
with us. Grandpa.” 

Grandpa shook his umbrella very 
fiercely and said: 

“The country is good enough for 
me, plenty good enough for me.” 

Freddie and Teddie called 
down-stairs, “Who is talking out¬ 
side the window?” 


82 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


83 


Humpty Dumpy called, “May I 
go somewhere? May I go with 
you?” 

Mama Roly-Poly called, “Dress 
quickly, children. We have great 
news.” 

The little Roly-Polys were 
dressed in a twinkling and they 
were so excited at the breakfast 
table that they could not eat a 
mouthful. 

Then Papa Roly-Poly said,“Have 
you ever heard of a circus?” 

“We have,” shouted the Roly- 
Polys. 

Mama Roly-Poly said, “Would 
you like to belong to a circus?” 

“We would,” shouted the Roly- 
Polys. “When may we go?” 


84 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Then Papa Roly-Poly told them 
all about it. 

He said he had seen an advertise¬ 
ment in a paper for a fat family to 
go with a circus. 

“And you know we are fat, my 
dears!” he said proudly. 

He and Mama had gone to see 
the circus manager. 

The manager had said, “You are 
truly the fattest people I have ever 
seen. You may travel with us for a 
year.” 

“Hurrah!” cried the little Roly- 
Polys, waving their spoons in the 
air. 

“Now,” said Papa Roly-Poly, 
“the first thing to do is to sell the 
house.” 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


85 


So they wrote a big sign, “For 
Sale,” and put it on the front door. 

“I wonder who will buy our 
house?” said Freddie. 

“ I wonder how soon we can go,” 
said Teddie. 

Humpty Dumpty was so happy 
that he turned three somersaults. 

“Don’t fall again,” said Mama 
Roly-Poly. “If you hurt yourself 
it will spoil everything.” 

Then Humpty Dumpty climbed 
up on the sofa and was as still as a 
mouse. 

“What does Grandpa think 
about our going?” asked Freddie. 

Papa Roly-Poly said, “Grandpa 
does not think we shall like the 
circus.” 



The Roly-Polys, you must know. 
Like to sit up in a row. 

So I’ve often heard them call, 
“Oh, Humpty Dumpty, do not 
fall!’’ 











CHAPTER VI 

Early next morning Humpty 
Dumpty woke up and rolled out of 
bed, as usual. 

He looked out of the window and 
cried, “Wake up, everybody, wake 
up! Here comes Grandpa Grimes.” 

Then Teddie and Freddie woke 
up and looked out of the window 
and cried, “O Ma, O Pa, do wake 
up! Here comes Grandpa Grimes.” 

Then Mama and Papa Roly-Poly 
woke up and looked out of their 
window, and there, sure enough, was 
Grandpa, coming along the road. 

He carried three packages in his 
arms. 

87 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


“ I wonder why he comes so early,” 
said Mama. 

“I wonder what he has in his 
arms,” said Humpty Dumpty. 

Mama Roly-Poly said, “Hurry up. 
Papa, and let Grandpa Grimes in.” 

The little Roly-Polys began to 
dress as fast as they could, but every¬ 
thing seemed to go wrong. 

Freddie said, “I can not find my 
coat. ” 

Teddie said, “I can not button 
my shoes.” 

Humpty Dumpty rolled over and 
over. 

He said, “I can not dress in a 
hurry.” 

Grandpa Grimes came in, and set 
on the lowest step of the staircase. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


89 


He called out, “Get dressed,you 
little rascals! Get dressed, every one 
of you! ” 

Then Freddie cried, “I can’t find 
my collar,” and Teddie cried, “I 
can’t find my neck-tie,” and Humpty 
Dumpty cried, “Do, please, help me, 
somebody!” 

All the time Grandpa Grimes sat 
chuckling softly to himself. 

At last, the Roly-Poly family 
were all dressed and down-stairs. 

Then the children shouted,“What 
have you in your bundles. Grandpa? 
what have you in your bundles? 
Please let us see!” 

“Not a peep into the bundles,” 
said Gandpa, “until every one has 
finished his oatmeal.” 


90 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


All the little Roly-Polys sat down 
and ate their oatmeal. 

Papa Roly-Poly said, “No one 
has come to buy our house.” 

Then the most surprising thing 
happened. 

Grandpa Grimes got up and 
bowed three times and looked over 
his spectacles and said, “I know 
some one who will take your 
house.” 

“Who is it? who is it?” cried all 
the Roly-Polys, and—will you be¬ 
lieve it?—it was fully ten minutes 
before Grandpa could hear himself 
speak. 

Then Grandpa said, “I will take 
your house. I will move in to-mor¬ 
row morning.” 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


91 


“Who will keep house for you?” 
asked Papa. 

Grandpa Grimes made another 
bow and said, “I have asked Little 
Red Riding Hood to keep house 
for me.” 

The little Roly-Polys were all 
so excited that they did not know 
what to do. 

They cried out, “O Ma, may we 
stay at home? O Pa, please let us 
stay at home! We wish to see Little 
Red Riding Hood!” 

“How very strange!” said Papa 
Roly-Poly. 

“How very extraordinary!” said 
Mama Roly-Poly. 



The lion has a pleasant smile 
(You see him on this page). 

But, though I like to hear him roar, 
I’m glad he’s in his cage. 

92 
































CHAPTER VII 


At last everything was ready and 
the whole family set out for the 
station. 

Grandpa Grimes went to see 
them off. 

The little Roly-Polys carried the 
bags Grandpa had brought them. 

At the station Humpty Dumpty 
began to cry. He cried so hard 
that Mama said: 

“Bless my buttons! what ails the 
child? Have you hurt your back 
again, my son?” 

Humpty Dumpty cried,” Boo-hoo! 
I am going to be homesick! I know 
I am!” 


93 


94 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 



“Give him a lemon-drop,” said 
Papa. 

Mama put her hand into her 
pocket and brought out a lemon- 
drop. 






























THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


95 


When Humpty Dumpty saw it 
he felt better, and soon he had it in 
his mouth. Then of course he could 
not cry. 

Humpty Dumpty had stopped 
crying just in time, for the train was 
coming. 

Puff, puff! came the engine, and 
all the passengers got on board the 
train. 

The little Roly-Polys waved their 
handkerchiefs, and Grandpa stood 
on the platform and made a bow. 

The little Roly-Polys soon cud¬ 
dled down in their seats and went 
to sleep. They slept a long time. 

“Wake up! wake up!” cried Papa 
Roly-Poly at last. “We are almost 
at circus town.” 


96 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Then the little Roly-Polys all 
woke up. 

“ Where are the elephants?” cried 
Freddie. 

“Where are the ponies?” cried 
Teddie. 

“Where are the camels?” cried 
Humpty Dumpty. 

Then Papa Roly-Poly said, 
“Hush! be still! You will see the 
animals soon enough.” 

Sure enough, the train stopped at 
a station just then, and the Roly- 
Poly family got out. 

A man dressed in red and gold 
came up to them and asked, “Will 
you ride in the band-wagon?” 

They all got into the band-wagon 
and the band began to play, and they 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


97 


rode on and on until they came to the 
circus tent. 

“Hurrah!” shouted Freddie. 

“Hurrah!” shouted Teddie. 

“Three cheers!” cried Humpty 
Dumpty. 

The band played “Yankee Doo¬ 
dle,” and the band-wagon drew up in 
splendid style in front of the tent. 

The circus manager came, and 
helped the Roly-Poly family out 
of the wagon, and took them all off 
for supper. 

They were hungry, you may be 
sure, after their long ride. 

“Can you do any tricks?” asked 
the manager. 

Mama Roly-Poly smiled, but 
Papa Roly-Poly shook his head. 


98 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Then the most surprising thing 
.happened. 

The twins had carried a big bas¬ 
ket all the way. Out of the basket 
jumped the monkey. He had crept 
into the basket while no one was 
looking, and had been fast asleep all 
the time. 

The Roly-Polys began to roll and 
the monkey jumped over them. Then 
they stood on their heads and turned 
somersaults. 

The manager cried, “That will 
do. I will make a side show of you. 
Your Ma and Pa may sell tickets.” 

“I wish to see the big parade,” 
said Freddie. 

“I wish to see the big parade,” 
said Teddie. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Then Humpty Dumpty began to 
cry and fuss and say he would not 
roll at all unless he could see the 
elephants and the ponies. 

The manager said, “Very well; 
if you are brave, you may ride in the 
wagon with the tamest lion.” 

Mama Roly-Poly shuddered and 
Papa Roly-Poly said they were very 
comfortable in the tent, but the little 
Roly-Polys said they were not afraid 
of even a fierce lion. 

So it was arranged that they 
should ride with the lion in the big 
parade. 

The time came for the parade. 
The little Roly-Polys were a bit 
scared when they thought of the 
lion. 


100 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


A man opened the door of a big 
wagon and helped the little Roly- 
Polys inside. 

There sat the lion at the end of 
the cage. He had his back turned 
toward them. 

“What if he should eat us up!” 
whispered Freddie. 

“Oh! Let’s tickle his ears,” said 
Teddie. 

Then Humpty Dumpty began 
to roll, and he rolled right up on the 
lion’s back, and the lion never 
moved a bit. 

He did not even roar. 

What do you suppose was the 
matter with this lion? 

He was stuffed with sawdust! 

Then the Roly-Polys shouted 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


101 


with delight and they spied a little 
glass window and they all climbed 
up on the lion’s back and looked 
out. 

They saw the big procession, and 
they were a part of it. They could 
see beautifully as the animals turned 
the corners. 

First there were seven large 
elephants, and each elephant had a 
rider dressed in red velvet. 

Then came seven big camels, and 
each one had a rider dressed in blue 
velvet. 

Then came fourteen little ponies, 
stamping their feet. 

Then came the big band-wagon 
playing “Yankee Doodle” and the 
caliope playing “Annie Rooney.” 


102 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Then came cages with more 
animals in them. 

Then came the clowns and an¬ 
other band that played “Marching 
through Georgia.” The parade was 
very splendid indeed. 

The procession went up one street 
and down another, and there were 
crowds and crowds of people. 

Every one said, “There must be 
a fierce lion in that covered wagon.” 

They meant the wagon in which 
the Roly-Polys rode. 

What do you suppose those comi¬ 
cal little Roly-Polys did? 

They all roared like very fierce 
lions, and they made a terrible 
noise. 

The manager was so pleased 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


103 


when he heard about this that he 
gave each of them a penny. 

Then the procession marched 
back to the tent, for it was time for 
the performance to begin. 

The little Roly-Polys were very 
much excited. They could hardly 
wait for the time to come for them 
to do their tricks. 

“Wont it be fun!” said Teddie. 

“Wont it be sport!” said Freddie. 

“It will be if I don’t break my 
back,” said Humpty Dumpty. 




O Roly-Polys, big and small, 
Do you never tire at all? 

To your home I’d like to go. 
And sit up with you in a row. 


104 
































































CHAPTER VIII 


The Roly-Polys got out of the 
wagon and barely had time to see 
the sign that hung by their tent, for 
a man hurried them inside. 

The sign on the tent said: 

MOST REMARKABLE SHOW 
The Roly-Polys we have found. 

They’re always turning round and round. 

If these wonders you would see, 

Just step inside and look with me. 

On the table or the ground 

They’re always turning round and round! 

Mama and Papa Roly-Poly stood 
at the tent door and took tickets. 

The little Roly-Polys got up on 
a high table and pretty soon the 
people began to come in. 


106 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


When the tent was full the man¬ 
ager came and whispered something 
to each of the Roly-Polys. 

Did they roll? Well, I should 
think they did! • 

Humpty Dumpty stood on his 
head so much that he nearly fell off 
the table. 

The people in the tent clapped 
their hands and shouted, and that 
made the people outside wish to 
come in. 

When one show was over another 
show began. The little Roly-Polys 
had to roll until their backs ached. 

Just before the last performance 
was to be given Teddie began to 
cry and Freddie began to cry, and 
Humpty Dumpty began to cry, and 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


107 


they all declared that they could 
roll no more. 

Then Papa and Mama Roly-Poly 
said they would come inside and that 
the twins could sell tickets. But the 
children cried more and more. 

The manager came in and asked: 
“What can you do besides roll?” 

Then Freddie and Teddie dried 
their eyes on their little pocket- 
handkerchiefs and said together: 

“We can all tell fairy tales.” 

So it was decided that the Roly- 
Poly family should sit in a row and 
tell fairy tales. 

The tent filled with people, and 
the Roly-Poly family acted out the 
stories as they told them. The peo¬ 
ple liked the stories. 


108 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


They went away and told other 
people about the Roly-Polys. More 
and more people came and the man¬ 
ager was very much pleased. 

The Roly-Poly family stayed 
with the circus for a month, and 
they went from place to place. 

One night Humpty Dumpty 
crept out of bed and he whispered 
something to Freddie, and Freddie 
whispered something to Teddie, 
and the twins whispered some¬ 
thing to Mama and Papa, and then 
the whole Roly-Poly family were 
awake. 

What do you suppose the whole 
family were whispering about? 

They were all tired of the circus, 
and wished to go home. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


109 


“ How can we find the way home?” 
asked Mama Roly-Poly. 

“ How can we get out of the tent ?” 
asked Freddie. 

Papa Roly-Poly said, “ Follow me, 
and don’t make any noise!” 

If the Roly-Polys had not been 
able to roll they surely would have 
made a noise and waked some one up. 

They rolled softly out of bed 
and softly under the wall of the 
tent and soon they were out in the 
moonlight. 

“Which way shall we go?” they 
whispered. 

Papa Roly-Poly said,“ Follow the 
leader, and keep a stiff upper lip. 
Remember whatever happens to 
keep a stiff upper lip.” 


110 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


“That means that we must not 
cry,” said Freddie. 

“That means that we must be 
brave,” said Teddie. 

They rolled along the railroad 
track for a long way, for Papa said 
it must lead somewhere! 

They went on all night and by 
morning they saw, across a meadow, 
a big red barn. Near it was a hay¬ 
stack. 

“We will go and rest beside the 
hay-stack,” said Papa. 

So, they went to the hay-stack 
and crept under the hay. Soon they 
were all fast asleep. 

When morning came Papa and 
Mama Roly-Poly said they would 
see if they could find some breakfast. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


111 


So they left the little Roly-Polys 
under the hay and went away. 

About this time a very exciting 
thing happened. 

Two little girls came and stood 
by the hay-stack. They said, “The 
old hen has stolen her nest. We 
will try to find it.” 

Then Teddie and Freddie crept 
farther under the hay, but Humpty 
Dumpty rolled out! 

The little girls clapped their 
hands and said, “Here is an egg, 
but what a queer egg it is!” 

The first little girl caught 
Humpty Dumpty up in her apron 
and the second little girl looked 
under the hay at the foot of the hay¬ 
stack. 


112 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Teddie and Freddie were very 
much frightened. They went under 
the hay-stack so far that no one 
could find them. 

Then the little girls ran to the 
house, carrying Humpty Dumpty 
with them. 

“See, Grandma,” they shouted, 
“the old hen has stolen' her nest be¬ 
side the hay-stack, and here is one 
of the eggs.” 

“The idea of any one calling me 
an egg!” thought Humpty Dumpty. 

He was angry. He was fright¬ 
ened, and kept saying to himself, 
“ Keep a stiff upper lip. ” 

Grandma could not see very well, 
but she said, “I do not believe it is 
a good egg. I think it is cracked.” 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


113 


Then the little girls said, “May 
we take it up to the play-house? 
May we. Grandma?” 

Grandma nodded and the little 
girls carried Humpty Dumpty off 
to their play-house. 

The littlegirls left Humpty 
Dumpty on top of their play-house 
and forgot all about him. Soon they 
ran off to play. 

Humpty Dumpty began to look 
about. “I am glad Grandma did 
not think I was a good egg,” he said 
to himself. “ They might have put 
me into a cake.” 

“Tick, tock,” said the clock in the 
play-room. 

“Oh, ho! so you can talk, too,” 
said Humpty Dumpty. He climbed 


114 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


up to the chimney of the play-house 
to see the clock better. 

Then the clock said in a sweet 
voice: 

“ How do you do? I’m lonely, too. 

Tick, tock, tick, tock!” 

Humpty Dumpty begged the 
clock to tell him how to get out of 
the house, and back to the hay-stack. 

The clock said: 

“Well, well, I will tell. 

Tick, tock, tick, tock!” 

Humpty Dumpty yawned and 
said, “Then hurry up, please. I 
am in a hurry.” 

The clock said: 

“Don’t tease, if you please. 

Tick, tock, tick, tock!” 

Then Humpty Dumpty was still 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


115 



“THEN HURRY UP, PLEASE” 


for a long time and the clock begged 
for a story. 

Humpty Dumpty told the clock 
all about the circus parade. 

Then the clock said: 



116 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


“Go by the stair, but take care. 

Tick, tock, tick, tock!” 

Humpty Dumpty made his very 
prettiest bow, and slipped off the 
play-house and rolled out at the door 
and down-stairs. 

He rolled right down upon a soft 
white rug. 

The door was open and he rolled 
out of doors and rested under a 
maple tree. 

The clock hung near the play¬ 
room window. It called out: 

“Turn heels over head. The barn is red. 

Tick, tock, tick, tock!” 

Then Humpty Dumpty turned a 
somersault and there, sure enough, 
was the red barn and the hay¬ 
stack. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


117 


It did not take him long to get 
there, you may be sure. 

Teddie and Freddie and Mama 
and Papa all ran to meet him. 

They cried, “Hurrah for Humpty 
Dumpty! Hurrah for the stiff upper 
lip!” 

Mama and Papa had not found 
anything to eat. 

“We shall have to wait till we 
get home,” said Papa. 

“Before we start for home we 
must rest a little,” said Mama. 

So they all went back to the hay¬ 
stack. 



If in the woods you chance to meet 
A gentleman both round and neat 
And if you say, “How do you do?” 
Old Grandpa Grimes will smile at 
you! 


118 


CHAPTER IX 


“Hurry, hurry!” said Papa Roly- 
Poly, after they had rested for a 
while. “We must get home.” 

“We are so hungry,” said F reddie. 

“We are so thirsty,” said Teddie. 

“Keep a stiff upper lip,” said 
Humpty Dumpty, 

Then they all rolled out of the 
hay and found a path that led to the 
woods. 

“Oh, oh!” cried Teddie and 
Freddie. 

“Oh, see the raspberries!” cried 
Humpty Dumpty. 

Sure enough, there were bushes 
in the woods full of raspberries. 

119 


120 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


All the Roly-Poly family had a 
fine feast. 

They had walked on a little way 
when they saw some one coming 
down the path. 

It was an old gentleman. 

“Hurrah!” cried Teddie, waving 
his cap. 

“Hurrah!” cried Freddie, waving 
his pocket-handkerchief. 

“Hurrah !”cried Humpty Dumpty, 
dancing a jig. 

All the Roly-Polys cried, “ Hurrah 
for Grandpa Grimes!” 

There, sure enough, was Grandpa 
coming down the path toward them. 

When Grandpa Grimes heard the 
noise, he dropped his suit-case and he 
dropped his umbrella and cried: 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


121 


“Can I believe my eyes, or is this 
a new fairy story?” 

Then Mama Roly-Poly shook his 
hand and Papa Roly-Poly kissed him 
and all the little Roly-Polys said: 

“We did not know we were near 
home. We thought we were lost in 
the woods.” 

Then Grandpa Grimes sat down 
on a stone and he laughed until he 
cried. 

At last Grandpa Grimes said, “We 
are lost in the woods! I have been 
traveling for two weeks to find you!” 

Then everybody began to talk at 
the same time and ask questions. 
Grandpa said he had been so lonely 
that he was going to beg the Roly- 
Polys to come back. 


122 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Papa Roly-Poly began to gather 
up branches while they were talking. 

What do you suppose he was 
going to do ? 

He was going to make a wigwam 
so that they could rest in the woods 
at night. 

All the Roly-Polys helped and 
they went into the woods and got 
more berries before evening. 

They had a fine supper and went 
to bed. 

Next morning, early, Mama 
Roly-Poly said, “How shall we get 
home?” 

Grandpa Grimes shook his head. 

Papa Roly-Poly shook his head. 

All the little Roly-Polys shook 
their heads. 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


123 


Just then some one came tripping 
down the path, singing: 

Who goes singing on her way? 

Little Red Riding Hood. 

Who has a heart so light and gay ? 

Little Red Riding Hood. 

“Who is that singing?” asked 
Freddie. 

“Who is that singing?” asked 
Teddie. 

Humpty Dumpty said, “I believe 
it is Red Riding Hood.” 

They ran a little way down the 
path. 

“I see a red hood,” said Freddie. 

“I see a red cape,” said Teddie. 

“I see a basket,” cried Humpty 
Dumpty. “Oh, oh, oh! It surely 
must be Red Riding Hood!” 


124 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 



LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD TUCKED ALL THE ROLY-POLYS 
INTO HER BASKET 

Red Riding Hood came in sight, 
and her pretty song was interrupted 
by a shout, for all the Roly-Polys 
begged to be taken home. 












THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


125 


Red Riding Hood set down her 
basket. She said: 

“Guess what I have in the basket. 
Each of you may have one guess.” 

Papa Roly-Poly said, “You have 
a pat of butter.” 

Red Riding Hood shook her head, 

Mama Roly-Poly said, “You have 
some cake.” 

Red Riding Hood shook her head. 

Freddie said, “You have some 
ginger-bread.” 

Teddie said, “ You have some gin¬ 
ger-snaps.” 

Still Red Riding Hood shook her 
head. 

Humpty Dumpty rolled over and 
said, “I guess cookies!” 

Humpty Dumpty was right. 


126 


THE ROLY-POLY BOOK 


Red Riding Hood had cookies in 
her basket. 

She gave the Roly-Polys the 
cookies and my! how they did enjoy 
them! 

What do you suppose happened 
next? 

Little Red Riding Hood tucked 
all the Roly-Polys into her basket 
and took them safely home. 

Now when you close this little book, 

Just open it again and look, 

To see if Humpty Dumpty fell 
From out the basket. (I can’t tell.) 









































































































































































































































































































































































































































































